1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to automated computer network monitoring, environment monitoring, and automatic telephone dialing and message transmission apparatus enabling emergency messages to be transmitted.
Millions of microprocessor based computer networks presently are in use. The term "Network" refers to one or more Work Stations connected by communications lines or cables to one or more central computers, herein referred to as "File Servers". In some File Servers magnetic data storage is often divided into segments, hereinafter referred to as "Volumes". A Network permits users to store data files in a central location to reduce the cost of file storage, eliminate the need for duplicate software systems, and permit all users of the Network to access centrally maintained, up-to-date data files. Because data files are centralized, Network users depend on reliable uninterrupted access to file servers to do their jobs. If one or more File Servers within a Network fails, most companies are literally "out of business" until processing is restored.
Most Networks operate 24 hours per day, but are rarely used more than 12 hours per day. During the period that a Network is not in use, failures can occur. Moreover, the Networks are more vulnerable to major damage due to fire, theft, water, temperature fluctuations, or employee sabotage because no one is typically accessible when the damage starts. In such events occur, the problem would not be detected until someone attempted to use the network at the start of the next business day. When the problem is finally detected, it may take several hours or days to restore normal Network processing. Had the problem been detected when it occurred, damages would be minimized and Network processing could be restored sooner, possibly before the next business day began. Accordingly, there is currently an urgent need for a device designed specifically to monitor Networks during non-business hours. Ideally, this device should be designed to be Fail Safe, activate itself automatically, when deemed appropriate by the user, and use available completer resources where possible. Further, the system should be capable of alerting persons responsible for administering the Network of any file server failures, power failures, intruders, fire, water, smoke or excessive temperature changes, or other similar events that require immediate attention.
The device may also be utilized during normal business hours to monitor computer tasks (i.e. jobs) running on a Work Station and place alert calls when a job within a task has been completed or fails.
2. Background Art
COMPAQ corporation has developed a monitoring system consisting of a 32-bit computer interface board designed to be inserted directly into a File Server. The board must be installed into the File Server and obtains its normal operating power from the File Server's internal low voltage power supply. One board is required for each File Server monitored. The system will not function in existing File Servers that do not have 32-bit EISA slots. Environmental monitoring is limited to voltage and internal temperature sensors. No provision is made for intruder, water, fire or smoke detection. Further, no provision is made to directly monitor AC power flowing into the File Server from an external source(s) so that a main AC power failure will be detected. Instead, the Compaq system monitors only DC voltage flowing to the EISA slot where the interface board is installed. Accordingly, should main AC power fail and the File Server continue to operate off of backup reserve power (e.g. battery power), no provision is made to place a power failure alert until after the reserve power and/or File Server fails.
In the Compaq monitoring system, all alert calls are placed via modem circuitry included on the board or all optional external modem using a serial interface provided on the back plate of the board. No speaker is provided on the board to facilitate call monitoring or localized announcements. Alert messages are delivered via a speech synthesizer or touch tones in the case of an alert call to a pager. No provision is made for recording or replaying user spoken voice messages.
When a call is placed by the Compaq System to a person, no audio analysis is performed to detect when a person has answered the phone call and finished speaking. Instead, after the call is placed, the system assumes someone will answer and hear a pre-recorded message requesting that a tone password be entered. This pre-recorded message is delivered as soon as the call rings, which typically results in the answering party initially receiving only part of the intended message. If the requested touch tone password is not entered and detected by the Compaq system within a specified period of time or the pre-recorded message is fully delivered before someone answers the phone, the call will be aborted and retried later. Accordingly, no alert message will be transmitted, for example, if the person called forgets the required password or the call was answered by an answering machine. Similarly, an alert call placed to a paging service will not be delivered unless a required tone is received from the paging service. No provision is made for paging services that do not use the required tone or attempt made to automatically analyze when the pre-recorded paging service voice prompt has ended, so that the required alert message may be transmitted. Finally, no provision is made in the Compaq system to relate the delivery of alert messages to a specific type of failure. Instead, the same set of alert phone numbers are called, regardless of the type of failure encountered and the number of phone numbers the system can handle is limited to 16 phone numbers.
An alarm device, referred to as SYMON, is being sold by Dataprobe Corporation (170 Coolidge Avenue Englewood, N.J.). The system requires a user supplied external monitoring systems to detect all alarm situations. The system is limited to a maximum of eight alarms. An external modem is required to relay alarm messages in digital (ASCII II) text message form only to user pagers. No provision is made for voice transmitted alert messages. Further, no provision is made for the detection of any alarm situations.
Various software-only products have been developed to monitor File Servers. One product is NetAlarm from Avanti Technology in Austin, Tex. and another product is LAN Server Watch from Brightwork Development Inc. in Tinton Falls, N.J. 07724. These products monitor the status of File Servers using software installed on one of the Work Stations connected to the File Server. This software coexists with other software running in the Work Station memory. Alert calls can be placed though a modem connected to the Work Station to a pager. No provision is made for alert calls to other than a pager. No provision is made for monitoring power, temperature, intruders, water, fire or smoke. Further, no provision is made for a failure in the Work Station used for monitoring should the Work Station's processor lock up or AC power be lost.
Various devices exist to monitor the environment and issue pre-set voice messages by placing phone calls to predefined numbers, when an alarm condition is detected. Two such products are the EnviroCom I and EnviroCom II manufactured by Best Power Technology, Inc. P.O. Box 280, Needah, Wis. 54646. These products monitor AC electrical power; temperature; loud sound levels, which presumable will be a burglar alarm, fire alarm, or smoke alarm; motion; or the presence of water. No provision by these products is made to permit the monitoring of file servers; recording of user spoken voice alert messages; logging failures detected or the results of alert calls placed; detecting the exact progress of an alert calls placed; so that an alert messages will only be delivered after someone or some device has answered the phone and finished speaking; analyzing the frequency of sound levels detected to discern the exact source of the sound level (e.g. sounds produced by a smoke alarm as opposed to those sounds produced by a fire alarm or some other non-alarm, loud sound level source). Finally, the same set: of alert phone numbers are called, regardless of the type of failure encountered and the number of phone numbers the system can handle is limited.
None of the monitoring devices discussed above make any provision to monitor the status of computer jobs being processed by a Work Station, so that alerts may be issued when the job(s) are completed or a job fails. In addition, no provision is made for more than one AC power input source or the ability to automatically switch between multiple AC input power sources should the primary source of AC input power fail, so that a constant source of AC output power can be provided and controlled to an external device, such as a computer Work Station, and multiple sources of power can be monitored directly by the device. Finally, no provision is made to control the functionality of an external device, such as a Work Station, by temporarily cutting AC power to the Work Station and forcing the Work Station to boot and initiate a predetermined procedure.